Government Moves to Contain Fallout, Defends Phiri on Civil Servants’ Duty Stations

The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development has moved to contain the growing controversy surrounding remarks made by Minister Dr. Ben Malunga Phiri, insisting that he was grossly misquoted and that claims circulating on social media are misleading and irresponsible.

In a strongly worded statement signed by Secretary for Local Government Rev. Moses Owen Chimphepo, the Ministry dismissed reports suggesting that Phiri ordered civil servants to work strictly in their districts of origin, describing such claims as a distortion of facts.

The Ministry said at no point did the Minister propose a policy based on districts of origin, but merely urged civil servants to reside within their assigned duty stations instead of commuting long distances every day.

“What the Honourable Minister stated, and what is consistently on record during his visits to local authorities, is that civil servants should avoid commuting daily from one district to another and instead reside within their designated duty stations,” the statement said.

According to the Ministry, the guidance is purely administrative and aimed at improving efficiency, punctuality and public service delivery, not promoting regionalism or discrimination.

The Ministry said it has observed a worrying trend where some officers commute across districts daily, resulting in late reporting for work, absenteeism — especially on Mondays and Fridays — and misuse of council resources such as fuel.

“Long-distance commuting negatively affects performance and undermines effective public service delivery,” the statement said.

The Ministry also defended the Minister’s concerns as legitimate and backed by operational realities on the ground, arguing that taxpayers are paying the price for lax supervision and poor work culture in some councils.

It further warned the public and the media against spreading unverified information, saying official positions should always be sought before publication.

The statement also reaffirmed government’s commitment to national unity under President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika, cautioning that misinformation and politically motivated narratives aimed at dividing Malawians will not be entertained.

“The Government remains committed to promoting unity among all Malawians and will not tolerate misinformation or divisive propaganda,” the Ministry said.

The Ministry concluded by stressing that all engagements between the Minister and local authorities are formally recorded and available for verification, dismissing what it called “selective reporting designed to inflame public opinion”.

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